Multi-speed governors



April 1953 H. G. ADLER 3,083,800

MULTI-SPEED GOVERNORS Filed Aug. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

HERMAN G.ADLER BY ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 H. cs. ADLER Mum:SPEEDIGOVERNORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1960 FIG/2.

ENGINE nos o7 F|G.4-

INVENTOR. HERMAN GADLER IOI the inner edge of the land 48 coincides withthe edge 40 of the sleeve 36. In other words, when the valve is in theextreme left hand position, as seen in FIG. 1, its end surface 90engages the abutment 92, and the annular port 44 is in fully openposition. In addition, the provision of the cooperating surfaces at theend of the valve and on the abutment 92 serve an additional function.When the engine is initially started, the valve 46 will be in theextreme left hand position due to the action of the spring 60. At thistime the enginemay have been idle for some time or lubricating oil mayhave somewhat congealed or stiffened. As the pressure of the lubricatingoil builds up, the pressure applied to the valve in the space 56 isapplied to less than the entire end area of the valve, due to thesurface-to-surface contact between the area 90 and the valve and thecooperating surfaces 90 and 92. For this purpose, of course, surfacesand 92 are accurately finished to prevent entrance of pressure fluidtherebetween. Thus, the pressure required to overcome the spring 60 willexceed the desired regulated pressure by a I pressure initially requiredto overcome the spring 60 will be from ten to twelve percent above thedesired regulating pressure. Upon the first slight movement of the valve46, this pressure will be effective to move the valve abruptly and willthus free the valve for subsequent movement. The action may be likenedto mechanically moving the valve 46 to free the valve for subsequentautomatic opera- .tion.

In addition, this last arrangment provides oil to the governingmechanism at a pressure somewhat in excess of the normal governedpressure upon initial starting of the engine and in some cases thisadditional pressure may be advantageous in preventing running the engineup to an excessive speed upon first starting the engine.

The speed sensing element 72 is a fly ball unit in which the centrifugalforce is balanced at the required speed by a spring 100. In order thatthe energy output and adjustment of the centrifugal unit at low speedmay be the same as it is at high speed, it is necessary that the speedof the centrifugal unit at low engine speed is the same as it is at highspeed. This is accomplished by employing a drive mechanism provided witha gear arrangement that has a gear ratio which steps up the speed of thecentrifugal unit, and which is only operable at low engine speed.

Again referring to FIG. 1, the shaft 101 is driven by a power plant (notshown) such as an internal combustion engine or other equivalent energyproducing machine. Such machine or engine is provided with aconventional speed control means actuated by the lever 26.

The speed of shaft 101 is always directly proportional to the speed ofthe machine or engine and the drive shaft 102 is rotatably mountedwithin longitudinal bore 102a of shaft 101 and gear 103 is pressed ontoor otherwise suitably secured or attached to the drive shaft 102. Theshaft 101 is provided with a counterboard recess 104 and gear 103 isprovided with two cammed surfaces which form converging passages whengear 103 is assembled as shown with shaft 101. A ball 105 is assembledin each of these converging passages, thus forming an overrunningclutchproviding a unidirectional drive. Thus shaft 101 will drive thecentrifugal unit drive shaft 102 through balls 105 and gear 103, butshould the speed of shaft 102 exceed the speed of shaft 101, the balls105 will move into the diverging portion of the converging recessesformed by the cammed surfaces, and permit shaft 102 to rotate freelywithin the shaft 101.

The above mentioned shaft 102 is supported in casing A bolted orotherwise secured to casing 10, and said casing 10A rotatably supportsthe layshaft or countershaft 106 in suitable bearings. A gear 107 issecured on the layshaft 106 and is in constant mesh with the integralgear portion 101a of shaft 101. Since gear 107 is smaller in diameterthan gear 101a, the speed of layshaft 106 is always higher than that ofshaft 101. The gear 108 is rotatably mounted on the layshaft 106, beingsupported on the anti-friction bearing 109. The gear 108 is in constantengagement with gear 103, and since its diameter is larger than that ofgear 103, its speed is always lower than the speed of the centrifugalunit drive shaft 102.

The layshaft 106 is provided with a pair of fiat surfaces 106a machinedon diametrically opposite sides, and clutch plates 1096: are providedwith openings or holes with oppositely flat sides fitting snugly overthe flattened portion of shaft 106, and consequently are driven by shaft106 and always rotate therewith.

Gear is rotatably mounted on layshaft 106 and is disposed or locatedbetween the clutch plate 109a, and this gear 110 is also in constantmesh with gear 103 Likewise the diameter of gear 110 is the same as gear100. A collar or flanged sleeve 111 is slidably mounted on the layshaft106 and a thrust bearing 112 is mounted between the collar and theadjacent clutch plate 109a.

An actuating forked lever 11? is pivotably mounted on casing 10A bymeans of stud shaft 113 to which the forked lever is pinned or otherwisesuitably secured. Actuation of stud shaft 113 counterclockwise as seenin FIG. 1, will move said forked lever to the right and engage thesurfaces between gear 107 and gear 108, between gear 108 and theadjacent plate 100a, between the aforesaid plate 109a and gear 110, thusbecoming frictionally engaged and forced to all rotate together at thesame speed as said layshaft 106, and thus will in turn cause the shaft102 to rotate faster than shaft 101 as gear 103 is in mesh with gears10% and 110.

The ratio of these gears 101a, 107, 108 and 103 are so selected, thatthe speed of the centrifugal unit drive shaft 102, at the lowercontrolled engine speed, is the same as it is at the higher controlledengine speed, provided that sufficient pressure is applied to theslidable collar 111 to clutch the gears 108 and 107 at the lowercontrolled engine speed and that such pressure is removed at the highercontrolled engine speed. In short, the gears 107 and 108 are clutched atsaid lower engine speed and declutched at said higher engine speed.Actually the movement of the clutch collar 111 is very slight, since allthat it does is to take up the exceedingly small clearances between theelements of the disc type clutch as heretofore described.

Obviously, the shaft 113 to which is attached the forked lever 119 foractuating the aforesaid clutch device, may be actuated by any suitablemeans, manually or automatically if so desired.

In FIG. 5, I have shown an assembly, somewhat diagrammatic of anassembly showing an engine A" on which the above described multi-speedgovernor is mounted, an auxiliary machine B which can be drivinglyclutched, to a power output shaft C of said engine, a switch S or othersuitable means, which when turned to On position will close theelectrical circuit and actuate a clutch actuating device D to clutch theauxiliary machine B to said engine. This electric circuit E including abattery F may close the circuit to a solenoid and operate the solenoidto actuate said shaft 113 as desired.

When the solenoid 115 is energized on closing of switch S, the solenoidarmature 120 is pulled, comprising the spring 121 and the rod 122attached to lever 123 is moved downwardly as shown, causing the shaft113 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction an amount to applysufficient pressure to clutch gears 107 and 108. Thus the pressureapplied to the clutch collar 111 is determined by the compression inspring 121 rather than by the pull on armature 120. The switch S whichoperates solemold 115 may be arranged to be automatically closed by asuitable connection with the clutch device D, so that when the auxiliarymachine B is clutched to the engine A, the switch is closed, and isopened to de energize the solenoid when the auxiliary machine isde-clutched from said engine A.

As noted, the engine is governed at a relatively higher controlled speedwhen operating to drive a vehicle, but is operated at a relatively lowercontrolled speed when clutched to the auxiliary machine which may be apump or other auxiliary equipment. The present invention provides aconstruction in which the speed of the centrifugal unit is the same atboth high and low controlled engine speeds, so no change in theadjustment of the governor spring is required.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains that various changes and revisions of the elements describedherein may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention orfrom the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an engine adapted for driving machinery at a lower than normaloperating engine speed, means selectively drivingly connecting saidengine with said machinery, said engine having a speed control device, agovernor having a speed responsive actuator normally operable to adjustsaid speed control device over a predetermined range of speed of saidengine, control means operable on connecting said engine with saidmachinery to automatically vary the operation of said speed responsiveactuator to effect adjusting of said speed control device over a lowerrange of speed of said engine, and including driving means operablyconnecting said engine with said governor, said driving means includingan overrunning clutch and transmission gear mechanism operably to varythe speed of said speed responsive actuator.

2. In an engine adapted for driving machinery at a lower than normaloperating engine speed, means selectively drivingly connecting saidengine with said machinery, said engine having a speed control device, agovernor having a speed responsive actuator drivingly connected to saidengine and norm-ally operable to adjust said speed control device over apredetermined range of speed of said engine, control means operable onconnecting said engine with said machinery to automatically increase thespeed of said speed responsive actuator to ettect adjusting of saidspeed control device over a lower range of speed of said engine.

3. A multi-speed governor for an engine adapted for driving machinery ata lower engine speed than for normal operation, said engine having arotating part and being selectively operated at at least two differentcontrolled speeds, said governor comprising a speed responsive devicehaving an actuator shaft, means for connecting said shaft to said enginerotating part and including an overrunning clutch, and a second meanscomprising transmission mechanism -for driving said shaft atsubstantially the same speed from said engine rotating part operating at-a slower speed for controlling engine operation at the lower controlledspeed, means selectively drivingly connecting said engine with saidmachinery, and control means operable on connecting said engine withsaid machinery, to automatically engage said rotating engine part tosaid shaft through said transmission gearing.

4. A multi-speed governor as defined in claim 3 wherein saidtransmission gear mechanism embodies a shiftable clutch normallydisengaged to permit said direct drive of said shaft by the enginerotating part, and means actuating said transmission clutch on clutchingsaid engine to drive said machinery.

5. A multi-speed governor as defined in claim 4, wherein saidtransmission clutch actuating means comprises a solenoid actuated lever,and a switch controlling the operation of said solenoid, said switchautomatically actuated on clutching said engine to said machinery.

6. A multi-speed governor as defined in claim 5 wherein a spring isinterposed in the connection between said solenoid and transmissionclutch to transmit the energy of solenoid movement to the spring wherebyto apply spring pressure only to said clutch for actuating same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,822,880 Braun Sept. 15, 1931 2,215,722 Hurst Sept. 24, 1940 2,464,129Goettisheim Mar. 8, 1949 2,909,078 Nallinger Oct. 20, 1959

1. IN AN ENGINE ADAPTED FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AT A LOWER THAN NORMALOPERATING ENGINE SPEED, MEANS SELECTIVELY DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAIDENGINE WITH SAID MACHINERY, SAID ENGINE HAVING A SPEED CONTROL DEVICE, AGOVERNOR HAVING A SPEED RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR NORMALLY OPERABLE TO ADJUSTSAID SPEED CONTROL DEVICE OVER A PREDETERMINED RANGE OF SPEED OF SAIDENGINE, CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE ON CONNECTING SAID ENGINE WITH SAIDMACHINERY TO AUTOMATICALLY VARY THE OPERATION OF SAID SPEED RESPONSIVEACTUATOR TO EFFECT ADJUSTING OF SAID SPEED CONTROL DEVICE OVER A LOWERRANGE OF SPEED OF SAID ENGINE, AND INCLUDING DRIVING MEANS OPERABLYCONNECTING SAID ENGINE WITH SAID GOVERNOR, SAID DRIVING MEANS INCLUDINGAN OVERRUNNING CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION GEAR MECHANISM OPERABLY TO VARYTHE SPEED OF SAID SPEED RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR.